Switch-operating mechanism.



T. B. STAFFORD.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1911. 1,055,293, Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

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T. B. STAFFORD.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TYRA B. STAFFORD, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 HANCE H. CLELANI), 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Application filed July 26, 1911. Serial No. 640,540.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TYRA B. Srxrrono, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in SwitclrOgerating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch operating mechanism and has particular application to means for automatically actuating the switches of street and other railways.

In carrying out my invention, it is my purpose to provide an automatic switch operating mechanism whereby the switch point or rail may be automatically thrown into a desired position to shunt the car or train from one track to another.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a trip mechanism having connections with a switch point and adapted to be actuated by the wheels of a passing car, whereby the switch point may be thrown to the desired position.

It is also my purpose to provide an automatic switch operating mechanism embodying in its construction the desired features of simplicity, efliciency, durability and positiveness in operation.

WVith the above recited objects, and others of a similar nature in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, set forth in and falling within the scope oi the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch operating mechanism embodying my invention, the casings of the tripping mechanism and switch throwing mechanism being shown in section to expose the construction of the de vices contained therein. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in side elevation of my improved tripping mechanism, the device being shown in its extended operating position, the side of the casing being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the tripping mechanism, the latter being in its depressed inoperative position. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the wheel contacting member and the rocking cross bar to which it is connected. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken through the switch throwing mechanism on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the box of the switch throwing mechanism, having mounted therein the laterally moving rod 2, the portion 3 of which projects through the side of the box and is adapted to be connected to the switch point or rail, (not shown), this rod having its end within the box provided with notches or recesses 3, 3'. Mounted within the box and slidable therein is a plate 1' connected to the pointed end 7 of a plunger head 8 through the medium of a pin 7 and an elongated slot 8 said slot being formed in the plate 4, and upon this plate is the rotary disk 4 adapted to engage with the switch point throwing rod by means of the pin 5, said disk having notches 6 spaced apart in the periphery thereof for the reception of the pointed end 7 of the plunger head 8, the latter being carried by the plunger rod 9 which extends through the box 1 and into the small relatively narrow casing 1.0 connected to the end of the box 1, said rod 9 being adjustably connected to the connecting rod 11 from the tripper box B through the medium of plates 12-12 and the bolts 12-12 so that the distance between the ends of the rods 9 and 11 may be adjusted or regulated as to length without removing the boxes or cutting the rods. Pivoted at 13 to the plunger is the pawl 14 tensioned by means of the spring 15, while 16 designates a lever t'ulcrumed at 17, one end 18 of which is adapted to engage with the head of the pawl while the opposite end is pivoted at 19 to the arm 20, the enlarged end 21 of which is designed to engage at predetermined times with one or the other of the notches 3 in the switch point throwing bar 2, said bar being guided in its lateral movements by the plates 2, while the head of the rod 20 is guided by the plates 2020 arranged adjacent to the path of the rod 2, while 22 designates a contraction spring connected at one end to one of said plates 20 and at its opposite end at 23 to the lever 16.

Arranged adjacent and in a line with the casing 1 is the box B which for the sake of convenience will be termed the tripping mechanism box. This box is attached to the side of one of the rails R of the track, and is preferably relatively long and narrow, or oblong in form. Arranged at one end of the box is a block or support 24, upon which slides the connecting rod 11, said rod passing through a guide 25 upon the block and through an opening 26 in the end of the box, the portion of the rod outside the end of the box being provided with a stop 27, while 28 designates a coiled spring surrounding the rod between the end of the box and the guide and tending to normally pull or draw the rod inward so as to withdraw the plunger from the revolving disk in the box 1. The end. of the rod 11 within the box is bifurcated as at 29 for the reception of the tongue 30, of the angular tripping bar 31, said tongue portion being connected to the bifurcated ends by the pivot 32. The tripping bar 31 is provided with an angular vertically extending tripping member 33 adapted to be contacted with by a depending member upon the car passing along the track, as hereinafter described.

The numeral 34 designates an arm connected at 35 to the rocking bar 36, which is journaled transversely in and extends through the side of the box B and is connected at 37 to the arm 38 carrying the contact head 39 which extends upward in the slot 40 formed by the ball 1 of the rail and the flange 41 spaced apart therefrom. The arm 34 is bifurcated as at 42, and at the end of the members 4343 of the bifurca= tion is a head 44 slotted at 45 for the passage of the body of the rod 31, the vertical trip member 33 being designed to move in the slot 46 of the bifurcation when the arm is shifted longitudinally of the box to move the rods and plungers back and forth.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. hen the mechanism is in inactive or in nonoperative position, the

portion of the arm 34, so that the trip is below the surface of the top 47 of the box B and the tripping member below the opening 48 in the top of the box. At the same time the arm 38 carrying the wheel contacting member 39 is inclined upwardly in the slot formed by the flange and the ball of the rail so that the contact member may he struck by the wheel of a passing car.

Assuming it to be desired to throw the switch, as the car passes over the contact piece, one of the front wheels thereof strikes the contact piece, depressing the latter and thus rocking the bar 36, throwing the arm 34 upward and in elevating the bifurcated portion of the arm, the tripping arm 31 and the tripping member is elevated so that the tripping member projects through the opening in the top of the box. This member is then contacted with by a depressible rod carried by the car and under control of the motorman, so that the trip actuating member of the car strikes against the trip mem-' ber and pushes the rod 31 and the connecting rod 11 forward, thereby also pushing the plunger rod 9 and the plunger head outward until the head enters one of the grooves 6 of the disk 4. At the same time the head of the pawl lever 14 strikes the lever 16, pushing one end of the latter forward and moving the opposite end carrying the pivot 19 backward thereby withdrawing the locking rod 20 from engagement with the bar 2. Subsequent to this movement of the plunger rod 9, the pin 7' carried by the head 8 of such plunger rod reaches the limit of its movement within the slot 8 in the plate 4 and in the continued movement of such plunger rod, the plate 4 and disk 4 are slid longitudinally of the casing 1 thereby shifting the switch actuating rod 2 laterally of the casing, owing to the pin 5 of such rod riding within the slot 4 within the disk in the movement of the latter, the disk being held stationary due to the pin 7 of the plunger head 8 engaging in one of the notches 6 thereof. When the tripper is released, the

actuate the switch throwing mechanism, the

tripping member on the car is not actuated so that the car may pass over the tripping box without actuating the tripping mechanism.

I Any suitable mechanism on the car may be employed for contacting with the tripping member for the purpose of actuating the latter.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. The combination with a switch, of a laterally shiftable rod connected thereto, and means for actuating said rod, to move the switch said means comprising a disk having notches therein, and a slot extending across the face thereof, a pin carried by the laterally shiftable rod and adapted to move within said slot, a locking member adapted to engage with notches in the laterally shiftable rod, a reciprocating plunger having a head adapted to engage the notches in the disk, means carried by said plunger for tripping the locking member to release the laterally shifting rod, and means operable by a car passing over the track for reciprocating the plunger.

2. In a switch operating mechanism, a rod adapted for lateral shifting movement and designed to have connections with a switch point, means for actuating said rod to move the switch, said means comprising a disk having notches therein, and a slot extending across the face thereof, means carried by the laterally shiftable rod and adapted to move within said slot, a locking member adapted to engage with notches in the laterally shiftable rod, means adapted to engage the notches in the disk, means carried by the last-named means for trip ping the locking member to release the laterally shifting rod, and means operable by a car passing over the track for reciprocating the means engaging the notches in the disk.

3. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable rod adapted to have connections with a switch point, means for actuating said rod to move the switch, said means comprising a disk having notches therein and a slot extending across the face thereof,

means carried by the laterally shiftable rod and adapted to move within said slot, a locking member adapted to engage with notches in the laterally shiftable rod, a reciprocating plunger having a head adapted to engage the notches in the disk, a support for the disk, connections between the support and the head of the plunger for moving said support, means carried by said plunger to release the movable rod, and means operable by a car passing over the track for reciprocating the plunger to slide the disk.

l. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable rod adapted to be connected to a switch point, means for actuating the rod to move the switch, said means comprising a disk, connections between the disk and the rod to move the latter, a locking member adapted to engage with notches in the movable rod, a reciprocating plunger having a head and adapted to engage with notches in the disk, a support for the disk, a connection between said support and plunger head for sliding the support, means carried by said plunger for tripping the locking member to release the movable rod, and means operable by a car passing over the t 'ack for recipro- "ating the plunger whereby the disk may be slid bodily to effect the movement of the switch point.

5. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable rod adapted to be connected to a switch point, means for actuating said rod to move the switch, said means comprising a disk having notches therein, and a slot extending across the face thereof, a pin carried by the movable rod and in engagement with said slot, a reciprocating plunger having a head adapted to engage the notches in the disk to hold the same against rotary movement, a support for the disk, connections between the plunger head and the support for sliding the latter, and means operable by a car passing over the track for reciprocating the plunger to move the support and the disk to ell'ect the movement of the switch point.

(5. In a switch operating mechanism, means connected to the switch point for operating the same, a trip bar connected to the said means and adapted to be actuated by the passage of a car over the track, a

rocking bar having a bifurcated end portion between the arms of which the trip bar is disposed, at head carried by the bifurcated portion of said arm and provided with a slot for the passage of the body of the tripping rod, and a contact head connected to the rocking bar and adapted to be contacted by the wheels of a car on the track to elevate or render the tripping rod operative subsequent to the depression thereof for actuating the switch throwing means.

7. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable rod adapted to be connected to a switch point, shiftable and rotatable means, connections between said means and movable bar, means for shifting the first means and holding the same against rotary movement to actuate the bar in one direction and adapted to rotate said first means, so that the bar may be shifted in the opposite direction, and means for actuating the last means.

8. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable rod adapted to be connected to a switch point, a rotatable disk, connections & 1,055,293

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 1n presence of two wltnesses.

TYRA B. STAFFORD.

between said disk and the bar, a sliding sup port for the disk, means for sliding the support and locking the disk against rotary movement to move the bar in one direction and for unlocking said disk and rotating the same so that the bar may subsequently move in the opposite direction, and means for actuating the last means.

Witnesses:

B. R. STAFFORD, JOSEPH JUDKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

